This novel is truly remarkable. I was so engrossed that I read it even when I had a high fever (in fact, I read it a day before I was hospitalized - I'm out of the hospital now, just in case you were wondering).

A Wizard of Earthsea would deserve five stars just for making me feel better when I was so ill. When I began reading it, I thought to myself - what a pity I didn't read it as a child. By the time I finished, I realized that it's never too late to enjoy a complex story like this one.

Moreover, I'm glad I read it at that particular moment. Not only did it help me get through a difficult morning, but I can truly say that it taught me an important lesson. We all have aspects of ourselves that we don't like and are afraid to confront. But suppressing those issues and not dealing with our fears only leads to negative consequences in the end.

The way this book conveys that important lesson is metaphorical, like most storytelling. A young boy nicknamed Sparrowhawk learns some magic tricks from his aunt, saves his village from an invasion, and earns a chance to study magic with a renowned mage who gives him his true name - Ged. Impatient to learn more, Ged leaves his master to study at a magic school (some say that a magic school is a concept pioneered by Ursula in the fantasy genre).

At the magic school, Ged's adventures truly begin. Like a typical adolescent, Ged makes some serious mistakes, and his talent for magic makes them even more significant - the kind that can have consequences not only for himself but also for others. This novel explores the concept of power - not only what it means but also how it should be used.

Right from the start, I sensed a deeper, more psychological message at the heart of this story. Clearly, I don't think this is just a book for kids and young adults. It can definitely be enjoyable for them, but there's enough complexity to please an adult reader as well.

It may seem like a typical young magician's coming-of-age story, but I was left with the impression that there's more depth to it, and I don't think I'm wrong.

It's a relatively short novel, but every word counts. It's a well-balanced and well-plotted story. The plot is interesting, the characters are likable, and the world-building is lovely. The narration is in the third person, which suits the story perfectly.

The same can be said for the chronological sequence of events. There are some hints about the protagonist's future life, giving the reader a glimpse into the future, but the storytelling is mostly in the past simple and linear. Despite those few references to the future, I found myself completely immersed in the story.

I worried about our protagonist, Ged, and what his actions might bring upon the world. The world that Ursula created seemed very real to me. The way the author makes you care about the protagonist is very clever. Ursula doesn't go into great detail when revealing the protagonist's inner life, but she tells you enough to make you see the inner changes yourself.

Throughout the novel, the storytelling seems to focus mostly on events, and in one way that's true, but in another, it's also about character development. The novel has many layers. Ursula is a skilled enough writer to tell a story in a seemingly simple, event-based narrative while still managing to portray the people and characters involved in those events.

In other words, Ursula can create well-developed and likable characters without wasting time on long dialogues or reflections. There are no long descriptions in this novel, whether it's about world-building or the characters themselves. Characterization is done effortlessly.

You never feel like you're inside the characters' heads in the sense that you can exactly feel what they're feeling or be sure of what they're thinking at any given moment, but their actions do make sense. You see them grow as people, you can follow their character development, and overall, I would say that the characterization was done very well.

There are many wonderful reviews of this novel on Goodreads, so many that I'm not sure if I have anything relevant or unique to add. To keep it as short as possible, it would probably be best to say something like: "A Wizard of Earthsea is a fantasy masterpiece." I truly believe it is. I would describe it as a perfect little book.

Perhaps the thing I enjoyed most about this novel is that it wasn't a typical hero-versus-villain story. Ged, the protagonist, is both the good and the bad guy at different times in his life. Aren't we all? His pride costs Ged dearly, and I liked how it's clear from the start that Ged is the only one who can correct his wrongdoings.

This seems like such a refreshing concept and a nice change from the "victim hero" syndrome. The message behind Ged's fall from grace - it takes a second to do wrong, but it might take a lifetime to set things right - had a bittersweet charm.

Ged's struggle with his shadow brought to mind Jungian/Freudian references, but it also reminded me of Paradise Lost. Honestly, I loved the seriousness of all the messages I encountered in this little gem of a book.

The seriousness of the fact that freedom means responsibility. There is no freedom without responsibility. We are free because we are morally responsible for the choices we make (I think Heinlein said something similar), and it seems to me that this freedom is so terrifying that most of us prefer to run away from it, making excuses for our weakness.

In conclusion, I would recommend A Wizard of Earthsea to everyone, not just fans of fantasy. Yes, it has talking dragons and magicians, but it also delivers some important psychological (and perhaps even theological) lessons. In the end, what does it mean to be alive? What does it mean to have power if we don't have power over ourselves? If we let our weaknesses consume us from within, we might as well be dead even if we're physically alive.

Reread 2025
A finely written book that absolutely holds up on reread. It's truly remarkable how this work maintains its charm and allure even after several decades.

Read 2018
This was the first time I have read this book, which enjoys its 50th anniversary this year. Somehow I missed it as I was growing up reading fantasy and SF. It's a pity that I didn't discover it earlier.

The writing leans towards the literary, and belies Le Guin's interest in and knowledge of philosophy, particularly of the self. What results is a story fairly straightforward on the surface, but with deeper currents underneath. The main character undertakes a hero's journey, but finds he cannot succeed through prowess alone, but only through coming to a deep understanding of the self. This exploration of the self adds a layer of depth and complexity to the story that is truly captivating.

Despite having been published in 1968, I think A Wizard of Earthsea holds up well. Where it shows some age is in the preference given to exposition, something that seems to have fallen somewhat out of style in recent times. But it is this same style that gives the book a literary feel, something which Le Guin purposely strove for in her writing. Her use of language and her ability to create a rich and immersive world make this book a classic of the genre.

Fantasy as an assembly-line commodity leaves me cold. But I rejoice when I see it written as what it always was -- literature -- and recognized as such. This quote perfectly sums up my feelings about A Wizard of Earthsea. It's not just a simple fantasy story, but a work of literature that deserves to be read and reread.

3.5 stars
My first encounter with Le Guin's work, something that perhaps I should have done during my teenage years when I delved into Tolkein. This is distinct from many other fantasy realms. For starters, it is less than two hundred pages long. The main character, Ged, the apprentice wizard, is a youthful and imperfect figure. He doesn't arrive fully mature and complete like Gandalf, so there is inevitably an element of coming of age.

The world-building is quite proficient, and I'm certain it will evolve as the series progresses. The world is an archipelago with numerous and diverse islands and races. There are also dragons!

Besides the obvious theme of coming of age, there are various other themes. Balance is a crucial concept in the magic of Earthsea. As Ged is taught at mage school: "But you must not change one thing, one pebble, one grain of sand, until you know what good and evil will follow on that act. The world is in balance, in Equilibrium. A wizard's power of Changing and of Summoning can shake the balance of the world. It is dangerous, that power. It is most perilous. It must follow knowledge, and serve need. To light a candle is to cast a shadow."

The idea of a wizard school has been adopted by others, and I don't need to mention who! Naming is also significant, and to know someone's true name is to have power over them. Ged is generally known as Sparrowhawk. One thing Le Guin does subtly is to make most of the cast non-white. There are very few white characters; most are various shades of copper, brown, and black. However, Le Guin doesn't explore the gender dynamic in the same way she does with race.

There is no primary villain; Ged's real adversary is himself and the consequences of his actions. The world is secular, lacking a priest caste. Wizards are mostly in demand, and most towns have one. This is told in an epic style.

Overall, there are both positives and negatives. The pace and style are good, and a mostly non-white cast was unusual for the 1960s. However, it sometimes seems a bit rushed, perhaps due to the brevity of the whole. There are plenty of well-used tropes from fantasy literature, but many of them originated from this series. This is the first fantasy I've read in a while. It was enjoyable rather than memorable.

**Relectura después de casi 5 años**

Almost five years after the first reading, I picked up this book again. A Le Guin was once proposed by an editor to write a book for adolescents. She wasn't very convinced at first, but then she thought:

"Would writing for older kids be so different from just writing? Why? Despite what some adults seem to think, adolescents are completely human. And some of them read so intensively and enthusiastically that it seems their lives depend on it. Sometimes perhaps it even is so."

The editor suggested she write whatever she wanted, a fantasy book for example. And she thought:

"In that time, 1966, all the magicians were basically Merlin or Gandalf. Old men, with pointed hats and white beards. But this was going to be a book for young people. Well, Merlin and Gandalf must have been young once, right? And when they were young, when they were stupid kids, how did they learn to be magicians? And there was my book."

All of this and more can be found in the introduction written by the author herself (recommended to read after reading the novel).

Now, the little review:

"Only in silence the word,
only in darkness the light,
only in death the life;
the flight of the hawk
shines in the empty sky.

The Creation of Éa"

We follow the life of Duny, nicknamed Sparrowhawk, from when he is a child until he is 19 years old. We will see how he becomes interested in magic, how his aunt starts to teach him, and how he meets his first master, Ogion. Then he arrives at the school of wizardry, and there he will learn everything he needs to know about magic. The plot after he becomes a magician is to pursue a shadow that he has set free and that haunts him.

"cap.4
The power you used to call it (the shadow) gives it power over you: you are bound to it. It is the shadow of your pride, the shadow of your ignorance, your own shadow. Does a shadow have a name?"

The characters - in general - don't have as much importance in this book as in many others. Although there are a couple that are very important, Ged and Oak. Ged, the protagonist, is the one we will get to know better. We don't know Oak much, but he will have some weight in the story, as he will be a great friend of Ged.

By the way, I didn't remember how idiotic and envious Ged was as a teenager xD.

In this world, most people are black or have a dark complexion. Only there seems to be one land where the people are white (and they are the barbarians, the savages, of this world).

In this story, names have a lot of importance, because you can make other beings do what you want with their real names.

"cap.3
That's what magic consisted of, knowing the true name of each thing."

I really liked it, just like the first time I read it. It is a slow-paced fantasy, without much action or big battles, but written with taste, with a story that requires some effort to read but that reads very well.

---------------------

From here on, I'm going to put some notes that I want to have in case I need to remember something in the future. There are spoilers, so if you haven't read the book, don't read (and if you have read it, it's not necessary either).

__Duny (who would later be Sparrowhawk, and then Ged) (this name was given to him by his mother) started learning magic with his aunt. But this aunt was an ignorant, and didn't know anything about the Equilibrium and the Norm that every wizard must serve and know and that prohibits them from using spells except in cases of true need.

__The name Sparrowhawk was given to him by the other children, because he was often seen herding, with some raptor often flying around him.

__Ogion - the magician - is the first master that Sparrowhawk has. He tells him his true name, Ged.

__Ogion tells him that if he doesn't want to stay with him (Ged complains that his learning is very slow), he can send him to the Island of Roke, where they teach all the High Arts. Ged accepts, since he wants glory and desires to act.

__Ged travels by boat to Roke, and on the way they have problems with a storm. An adventure.

__The archmage Nemmerle is the Dean of Roke.

__At the school of Roke, his rivalry with Jasper arises, whom he can't stand because he is the only one who doesn't praise or envy him. Ged wants to humiliate him.

__After another quarrel with Jasper, Ged tries to invoke a specter, but something goes wrong, and a malignant shadow also appears. This attacks him and the archmage Nemmerle has to save him.

__Ged is deaf, mute and blind, suffering a lot of pain after the attack of this shadow. But little by little his wounds heal, and it seems that his hearing returns, but not his speech.

__At 18 years old, Ged is a wizard, and he is sent to some islands to take care of their citizens, especially of the dragons that live on one of those small islands (Pendor).

__Ged meets the shadow again while trying to save a sick child.

__Ged goes to fight the 9 dragons. He uses his magic, and even transforms into a dragon to fight one. At the end, he wins against the oldest dragon, and makes him swear by his name that he will never attack or fly over the Archipelago again.

__In Osskil, they try to deceive him and make him fall prey to a malignant magic stone. He manages to be stronger and finish off the malignant creatures that the stone sends.

__Ged flies in the form of a hawk to his first master, Ogion. With him, he seeks help on how to defeat the shadow. Ogion tells him that he has to face it, that he has to stop running and attack it. Ged leaves a message for his master 'Master, I go out hunting'.

__Ged boards a boat and goes after the shadow. He wants to find it in the middle of the sea because he thinks there is less danger there.

__Ged is shipwrecked on a very small islet where he discovers a kind of cabin where a man and a woman live. At first, the couple is terrified. Little by little they get used to him.

__Ged manages to leave that islet, and arrives at Iffish, where his friend Oak was born. There he meets him and he tells him that he will accompany him on his journey in search of the shadow.

__Ged finally faces the shadow, and the outcome of the fight is that he calls it by its name, which is none other than Ged.

__Oak finally comments that Ged and the shadow were the same being, and that now no one will be able to equal them in strength and talent (Ged and his shadow).

Other than J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and the first two books of George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" series, I have never been a huge fan of that particular brand of fantasy involving wizards, dragons, trolls, orcs, et al. I like the fantasy genre, but I'm not in love with it. Obviously, I have never read Ursula K. Le Guin.

Le Guin's reputation is secure among the pantheon of science fiction/fantasy writers. Why I have never read anything written by her prior to "A Wizard of Earthsea" is a mystery and a conundrum. It's simply one of those major oversights that I plan on rectifying.

"A Wizard of Earthsea" is, by far, one of the best fantasy novels I have ever read. Le Guin's magically beautiful prose, her masterful storytelling, and her ability to enchant the reader with a fully-realized world is a kind of literary wizardry. Only a few other writers that I have encountered have had that ability to transport the reader into another completely believable universe: Tolkien, Frank Herbert's "Dune" series, and J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series.

The story is about Ged, the titular wizard of the planet Earthsea. Earthsea is a planet of countless island nations scattered throughout a vast ocean which, as far as anyone knows, stretches to infinity, as no one has ever reached the far edges of the Open Sea and lived to tell about it. Ged is a young man from a poor village. He is invited to attend a school of wizardry, where he learns to hone his natural-born gift for magic. However, an act of teenage hubris unleashes a dark presence into the world, which will haunt him throughout much of his life.

The rest of the novel follows Ged's adventures and misadventures through the varied landscape of Earthsea. His attempts at atoning for his magical crime drive him to become a wizard bent on doing only good. But his shadow-creature is always lurking nearby, waiting for a moment of weakness. The novel culminates with Ged traveling out into the Open Sea for the inevitable confrontation with the shadow-creature he helped create.

Le Guin's novel is, in every way, a superb fantasy novel. It can be read as a straight fairy tale-like narrative or, on a deeper level, a parable about the dangers of hubris, redemption, and acceptance of one's own limitations. The word "fantastic" was truly created for writers like Le Guin and for books such as "A Wizard of Earthsea". There are, apparently, several other books in the Earthsea series, and I am eagerly looking forward to reading all of them.

A book that tells the story of a teen boy's journey to learn magic. Just like any other boy, he does some foolish things along the way. Ged, who was known as Sparrowhawk in his reckless youth, was the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea. Driven by his hunger for power and knowledge, he meddled with long-guarded secrets and unleashed a terrifying shadow upon the world. This is the account of his trials, how he mastered the powerful words of magic, tamed an ancient dragon, and even crossed the threshold of death to restore the balance.

I simply cannot stress enough how exquisitely beautiful the writing of this book is. It may be challenging at times, but somehow, the words just seem to flow effortlessly. I adored the magical atmosphere that the book created for me.

It is an absolute must-read for all fantasy enthusiasts.

“It is no secret. All power is one in source and end, I think. Years and distances, stars and candles, water and wind and wizardry, the craft in a man's hand and the wisdom in a tree's root: they all arise together. My name, and yours, and the true name of the sun, or a spring of water, or an unborn child, all are syllables of the great word that is very slowly spoken by the shining of the stars. There is no other power. No other name.”

― Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea

“War as a moral metaphor is limited, limiting, and dangerous. By reducing the choices of action to “a war against” whatever-it-is, you divide the world into Me or Us (good) and Them or It (bad) and reduce the ethical complexity and moral richness of our life to Yes/No, On/Off. This is puerile, misleading, and degrading. In stories, it evades any solution but violence and offers the reader mere infantile reassurance. All too often the heroes of such fantasies behave exactly as the villains do, acting with mindless violence, but the hero is on the “right” side and therefore will win. Right makes might.”

― Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea

On m’a souvent dit, en parlant de Terremer, « oh oui c’est génial et bien écrit, mais c’est très contemplatif et il ne se passe pas grand chose ».

Well, I have the pleasure of telling you that this is completely false

A book that I truly adored is one that features a captivating main character. This is a magician whose journey we embark on from the moment he discovers his latent powers. We follow him as he grows and evolves, until he ultimately closes the circle.

[ESP/ENG]

The protagonist's story is truly remarkable. He has to face many challenges and overcome numerous obstacles on his path to becoming a full-fledged wizard. One of the most significant moments in his journey is when he "defeats" his shadow, thereby conquering his inner demons and fully embracing his magical abilities.

The part of the story that takes place in Roke is also very engaging. Although some aspects of it may seem a bit clichéd in today's context, the magic system and all that it entails are truly fascinating. The idea of knowing names and how that gives one power over things is a unique and interesting concept that adds depth and complexity to the story.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I have no doubt that I will continue with the rest of the saga. I am eager to see what other adventures and challenges the protagonist will face, and how he will continue to grow and develop as a character.

Yerdeniz is a series that I have wanted to read for a very long time but have never been able to start. And finally, I have begun with the first book.

First of all, I must state that I have read that it is very similar to Harry Potter in many places, but there is no connection. The similarities between Yerdeniz and Harry Potter, in my opinion, consist only of a wizard school and a wizard who protects Ged like Dumbledore protects Harry. Other than that, there are no other similarities.

Although the book is very engaging and fast-paced in terms of the plot, it progresses heavily in terms of language. While Ursula's narrative power is wonderful, it also tires the reader a bit at the same time. But with this book, the author is opening the doors of a wonderful world for you. Do you want to find yourself, face your fears, grow? Then come, but be aware that this is a gloomy world, it seems to say.

The Wizard of Earthsea tells Ged's adventure of becoming a wizard and what happens to him on this path. We read about Ged, whose magical abilities were discovered at an early age by his aunt, being taken under the protection of a wizard and later going to Roke School to become a wizard, what the result of his greed is, his taste of fear and a lot of emotions.

In fact, the author has put forward a text full of metaphors and examples. By fleeing from our fears, we become weaker, and we must face them, which the author has conveyed to us through a shadow. And he has done this by putting it into a very beautiful plot.

I just wish this world had been explored a little more deeply. Since it is the first book, some things remained up in the air for me. Maybe they will settle more in the other books, but I can't help but think that more space should have been given to more things in this book. Also, I wish Ged's school days at Roke School had been longer. Then the world of wizardry would have been explored more, and this would actually lead us to my first wish.

I really enjoyed reading the book. Although it ended with some question marks in my mind, I hope everything will fall into place in the subsequent books. I am also extremely impatient to continue the series as soon as possible.

And finally, I want to say that I wish there was a movie so that we could watch it.

At the school of wizards, Sparrowhawk embarks on a remarkable journey of learning.

He discovers the ability to perform extraordinary feats, such as changing his shape and soaring through the sky like a bird. However, as he ventures out into the wider world, he realizes that it is far more dangerous than his teachers had led him to believe.

Everywhere he goes, a shadow that he unleashed follows him, casting a sense of regret and danger. The weaker souls he encounters are vulnerable to becoming hosts for dark powers that seek to consume him.

When he discovers a possessed man, he is chased across a snowy landscape to a lonely castle. There, a beautiful woman who worships an ancient source of evil tempts him to become her king. But Sparrowhawk rejects the offer, having witnessed the terrifying power of the dark forces.

He knows that no matter where he escapes to, he will eventually run out of places to hide. The book is filled with a genuine atmosphere of dread, which is achieved not only through the magical elements but also through the connection to the normal world.

The shadow at the center of the story is intertwined with the lives of ordinary people, doing ordinary things. This juxtaposition highlights the fantastical nature of Sparrowhawk's journey while also revealing the holistic nature of everything that occurs.

In Ursula K. Le Guin's book, the growth of the character's self-awareness is at the heart of the story. Her ability to merge an understanding of human nature with an appreciation for the multifaceted world is truly remarkable.

(My full video essay on the book is available here: https://youtu.be/OoRyePMq2C8 )

Appropriately for a YA novel, this story, in my opinion, delves into the processes of identity.

In Earthsea, magic-workers are diverse. From the Archmages on Roke island to the village charm-maker, numerous individuals possess some wizardish powers. These powers manifest in various forms but are rooted in words, specifically the “True Names” of things in the “Old Speech”. Names hold extreme importance and power, and a person must safeguard her true name, bestowed in a ceremony around the age of 13, with great care, revealing it only in moments of sacred trust.

Our protagonist, the magically-talented Ged/Sparrowhawk, grapples with certain character flaws, mainly pride and a lack of self-esteem. These flaws lead him to create further complications for himself, entangling the plot. His classmate in magic school, Estarriol/Vetch, serves as a valuable stabilizing influence, and their friendship is deeply touching, as is often the case in Le Guin’s storytelling.

The setting is both charming and convincing. The chilly, watery world, the weather-working, the extensive cast of supporting characters, including exciting mythical animals, and the simplicity and sometimes hardship (never romanticized) of people’s lives all come to life palpably. Moments of transcendence, such as when Ged first meets the Archmage and watches the raven or exchanges names with Estarriol, leap off the page.

Two familiar aspects of Le Guin’s writing stand out here. Firstly, her use of skin color; Ged is described as having copper skin and dark hair, while his friend Vetch is darker, and others, like the invaders who come to plunder the village and cause Ged to discover his talent, are pale. Reading about this latter episode, I suddenly had the urge to laugh because, while it never seems to occur in fantasy fiction, it does happen in real life. Secondly, the treatment of luxury as a sinister sign, as those who can afford it must exploit others to do so. As always, I am grateful to Ursula for keeping me awake and critical while enchanting me with her beautiful language.

When I think about my favorite epic fantasy books,

I always envision those hefty tomes that are 500+ pages long. Honestly, I firmly believed that an epic fantasy couldn't be properly executed in a shorter format.

However, I was proven wrong.

"A Wizard of Earthsea" is a mere 180 pages long, yet it doesn't feel short in the slightest. Nor do I find the story lacking in any way, and it certainly doesn't leave the story unfinished.

This book is precisely as long as it needs to be. It manages to pack in a rich and engaging world, complex characters, and a captivating plot within its concise pages.

It shows that length is not the sole determinant of a great epic fantasy. Sometimes, a shorter work can have just as much impact and beauty as a much longer one.

"A Wizard of Earthsea" has taught me to look beyond the number of pages and appreciate the quality and depth of the story within.